


My little heart, and you two

by plopdropflop



Series: witches and wonderlands [3]
Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Magic, Angst, Fluff, Gen, Magic, No Romance, Platonic Relationships, Sorry Not Sorry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-17
Updated: 2020-07-17
Packaged: 2021-03-05 06:08:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,185
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25339648
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/plopdropflop/pseuds/plopdropflop
Summary: Jeno is a witch without a familiar, a lonely soul who prefers to stay inside his dorm and consume books all day. There isn't really much he looks forward to, except his best friend, Jaemin's company. Both of them similar enough to understand each other fully, except for the fact that Jaemin has a familiar and Jeno does not.And when Jaemin's familiar, Jisung, disappears and comes back with another boy in tow, things slowly start to change. Suddenly, Jeno is plagued with feelings of doubt, towards himself and everyone he knows. The lifestyle he had built for himself starts to shift, a rift between him and Jaemin, and above all, there is now a certain Zhong Chenle for him to look after.
Relationships: Lee Jeno & Na Jaemin, Lee Jeno & Zhong Chen Le, Lee Jeno/Na Jaemin, Lee Jeno/Zhong Chen Le
Series: witches and wonderlands [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1705213
Comments: 18
Kudos: 71





	My little heart, and you two

**Author's Note:**

> You dont need the previous works to understand this at all!! In fact the previous works may spoil a good part of this oops. 
> 
> Nomin shippers! There will not be any explicit romance in this, I wrote it with 100% platonic intent though you are free to imagine otherwise, it won't change anything. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy!

Jeno likes to think he's a simple man. He's a telepath and an empath who had too much time on his hands as a kid, opting to spend his days hungrily devouring any book he could find. He enjoys the quieter things in life; studying, reading, gardening, sleeping, and so on. Bagging a scholarship to SM Academy was easy for him, regardless of the fact that he was still unbonded to a familiar.

Jeno knows it's strange for someone his age to not have one. Every witch finds one eventually. It's not a big deal for him though. His powers relied heavily on mind-reading, no conduit required. It's a rare, useful power, though the fields he could work in were limited and dangerous, he took pride in it. Things like interrogation or finding missing children, important, risky jobs that surely would be out of his comfort zone, but ones that he was willing to try anyways.

He didn't expect to make friends when he transferred in the middle of a year. He had made peace with that, yet he found himself dragged into the middle of a chaotic group anyways. Thanks to Renjun and Donghyuck, both of them with crushes on Jeno, painfully obvious even without any mind-reading. Their thoughts, Jeno did try to filter, but it's the same as hearing your name in a spoken conversation. Your mind zeroes in on it anyways. Jeno enjoyed their company regardless, even more so when he realized they were friends with Na Jaemin.

Jaemin was a witch Jeno found himself completely enamoured by. He was an odd, quiet man with a gentle demeanour and an introverted personality. He was always more friendly to Jeno than others, and Jeno suspects it's because Jeno never tried to force conversation out of him. Jaemin's mouse familiar, Jisung, was almost the exact same, mirroring his silent nature.

It's another day that he and Jaemin are hanging out; tranquil and calm, both of them buried deep into their books. Psychology for Jeno, and a thick medical encyclopaedia for Jaemin that Jeno could never hope to understand. Their drinks were slowly losing their chill, as the rays of the sun filter into the library and warm them up.

It's peaceful like that for quite a while, Jeno completely lost in the walls of text until a little chirp interrupts his concentration. He looks up, glasses askew, smiling when he locates the source. Jisung, who was previously asleep in one of the shelves had tumbled out, hitting the floor with a squeak.

Jaemin's eyes widen at this, and he drops his book to crouch on the floor with a coo as Jisung scurries into his open hands. Jisung hops onto Jaemin's shoulder and snuggles into his neck, and Jaemin smiles as the white fur tickles his sensitive skin.

Jeno finds the little mouse absolutely adorable, and his tendency to follow Jaemin everywhere, usually snug in his hoodie pocket was something that never annoyed him. Jeno rarely sees Jisung in his human form. He never asked questions about it, and it is very impressive regardless of whatever the reason may be. He's aware that maintaining their animal forms requires a lot of magic; magic that Jisung seems to have an infinite supply of. 

The teachers all love to ooh and aah over this, in the rare classes that familiars do have to attend. It's a point of annoyance for Jaemin, and Jeno finds himself subjected to a worried rant one fine morning, both of them crammed into Jeno's room.

"They keep telling me to send him to this, send him to that, a gifted child programme, a workshop, blah blah," Jaemin huffs, frowning.

Jeno can feel how frustrated he is; which is rare in and of itself. Jaemin has an endless patience, there's very little that truly bothers him, but Jeno supposes people hounding Jisung was one of them.

Jeno wonders if one day, he'll find someone like that. Someone to bond his magic with, a partner for life, someone to cherish and protect. He is okay with not having a familiar, really, but seeing Jaemin's blatant adoration for Jisung makes him feel like he's missing out on something everyone else has long built a life around.

Jaemin notices Jeno's downcast expression, and smiles, reaching over to ruffle his hair.

"You know you have me, right?" Jaemin says, amusement clouding his features, like he's the one with mind-reading powers and not Jeno.

Jeno huffs, embarassed at being caught, and returns back to his book as Jaemin chuckles at his plight.

It goes on like this for a while, until one day, Jaemin bursts in and tells him that Jisung himself agreed to go on a camp. One month long, all alone, and Jeno thinks this is the most stressed he has ever seen Jaemin be.

Of course he tries to comfort his friend — failing miserably, but it's enough to make Jaemin smile again, not at Jeno's words but at his efforts. Jaemin finds things cute like that, and Jeno is eternally grateful for how understanding he can be.

"You'll keep me company, right?" Jaemin asks him, and Jeno agrees faster than his brain can even process the words.

Jeno accompanies them to the train station when it's time, secretly eyeing Jisung's human form, one that he hasn't properly seen before. He's an absolutely adorable boy, small eyes and petal lips, chubby cheeks that Jeno already knows Jaemin enjoys pulling at. He did have a vague idea of what Jisung looked like before, mostly from Jaemin's mind when he talked about anything related to his familiar, but it's surprising seeing him up close like this.

He promises to Jisung that he'll look after Jaemin. Jisung smiles and nods, but Jeno can feel the true relief he's trying to play off, and grins happily.

And then, after farewells and hugs, he's gone.

And he doesn't comes back.  
  
  
  


It's been a week since the camp supposedly ended. Jeno remembers standing with the others at the train station, bouquet of flowers clutched in his hand, ready for the train to arrive. He and Jisung weren't particularly close, but Jaemin had dragged him there anyway, too happy for Jeno to say no to.

The train arrives on time, the campers trickling out with a happy bounce to their steps, reuniting with their families with loud, cheerful cries.

Except, Jisung never comes out.

When a panicked Jaemin had tried to find answers, none of the staff claimed to even know of a Park Jisung that attended the camp. 

A blatant lie. They were all there when Jaemin was on the phone with Jisung throughout the weeks, Jisung relaying information about the camp happily each time.

Memories of Jaemin's worried lamenting over the little mouse surface in Jeno's mind. Jisung is quite antisocial, sticking to only Jaemin, Renjun, and Donghyuck and refusing to talk to anyone else. Sending him off to the camp was not easy for anyone involved. Jeno has seen first hand, just how worried Jaemin was. He had tried his best to keep Jaemin's mind off of it, sticking to his side every time that he could, and allowed Jaemin to indulge his mother-hen behavior by constantly feeding Jeno and fussing over him.

It's been two weeks since. None of the regular trains take them to the meadow the camp was supposedly held in, but through extensive research they narrow down a location and a travel route. It takes them a long time to arrive, taxi after taxi, long stretches of walking that leaves them exhausted. Jeno feels all their emotions like a punch to the gut, but he doesn't let his discomfort show, only tries to support them the best he can. 

When they finally arrive, it's empty. 

While the others stay to comfort Jaemin — collapsed on the ground — Jeno wanders off. Something is... off about the place. Amongst the prominent emotions his friends are experiencing, it's hard to discern, but there is a presence of fear. So faint, Jeno thinks he's imagining it, but can it be a coincidence? 

Yet looking around, there's no one there. Perhaps it was his irrational thinking. Still... 

Renjun calls for him. It's time to go home. 

Jeno drops his cellphone. A split second decision. If there truly was someone... then perhaps they could find it. Use it to contact someone. It's a stretch, but he'll take anything he can get.   
  
  
  


Jeno knows something has happened when Jaemin storms into his room, rage pouring out from every limb. Jeno lives alone, the space small and comfortable, but right now it's almost suffocating with the way the emotions in the air are so potent. 

"What's wrong?" Jeno asks, worried. 

Jaemin doesn't reply, only throws himself onto Jeno's bed, shaking. 

"Jaemin?" Jeno tries again. 

Jaemin takes a deep breath. "They found me," he spits out, angry. 

"Who?" Jeno moves to sit next to him, hand hovering above his shoulder, unsure if it would be accepted. 

"The ones who took him," Jaemin responds with a dark gaze. It's terrifying, nothing like the mellow persona he had gotten used to. The same way Jaemin sticks to Jeno because Jeno doesn't force him to talk, Jeno hangs around Jaemin because he was so in control of his emotions that Jeno rarely felt overwhelmed. 

But now... 

"W- what happened?" 

Jaemin doesn't respond, but the lingering magic in the air, the disheveled hair, and the dried red on his shirt is answer enough.   
  
  


Jaemin gets a call one night, when he and Jeno were curled up together under the covers. Sleep was a foreign concept to Jaemin now, his time now spent obsessively researching everything he could on the camp. The authorities were suspiciously lacklustre when it came to investigating the case, and Jeno thinks that the only thing that really held Jaemin back from snapping their necks was just how _tired_ he was. 

Jeno tried his best to help of course, but it wasn't easy for him either, to see someone he considered a best friend wither away like this. 

The ringing is shrill, permeating the comfortable silence. Jeno groans, reaching over Jaemin to pick up Jaemin's phone for him. 

His heart stops when he notices the caller is labeled "Jeno". 

He shoots up immediately, dislodging Jaemin from his chest. With trembling fingers, he accepts the call and puts it to his ear. 

"If this is a joke—" Jeno begins, shaky and terrified. 

"I've got Jisung here," an unfamiliar voice cuts in. 

His heartbeat is impossibly loud in his chest. 

"Where are you?" He manages to say.

"I don't know. The camp is long over, so all the protective spells will be worn off. Use a scribing spell, find us."

The line disconnects. The phone drops from his hand.   
  
  
  


The protective spells they used must have been insanely strong for the entire camp to be invisible to them when they first checked out the meadow. Now, Jeno sees it, the abandoned cabins. Moreover, Jeno feels it, the residual fear with no bodies to belong to. As if an entire crowd of people just... disappeared, the only remnants being the emotions they felt as they passed. 

His eyes latch onto the two figures kneeling on the ground. The sky is a hazy purple, the sun close to breaking the surface, the trip taking hours regardless of how much they rushed. It leaves Jeno in a haze; hours on end of feeling his own exhaustion, fear, and terrified hope along with Jaemin's leaving him completely spent. 

The same can't be said for Jaemin, however. It only takes him a second to spot Jisung, and another to cross the distance and collapse onto the ground with him. 

Jeno follows on unsteady legs until he reaches the pair, locked in each other's embrace. He can't see Jisung's face from here, but he still flinches at how thin the boy's limbs were. How pale he seemed to be.

He looks around, until he meets eyes with a second boy. 

Vaguely, he remembers the face, or at least a likeness of it. The boy on the flyer for the camp, except in that he was practically glowing, cheeks full and smile bright and wide. Here, his cheeks are sunken in, his eyes hollow, and his skin a deadly shade of white. Jeno's heart lurches as his magic zeroes in on the boy, as the complex mass of emotions flow from him to Jeno. He has to consciously force himself to not peek in further, instead straightening up and taking a step forward. 

"Hi," Jeno tries. "I'm Lee Jeno, the one you spoke to on the phone." 

The boy glances up, eyes flicking to Jisung— still folded in Jaemin's arms— before looking up at Jeno. 

"Jisung has talked about you," he says, after a while, observing Jeno with sharp eyes. It's impressive, really, how intimidating the boy comes off despite his smaller stature and frail posture. 

Jeno gulps, unsure of what to say. "Are you a familiar?" He asks, finally. 

The boy shrugs. "I suppose I was at one point. I never had a witch though."

At that, Jeno can't help but smile. "And I never had a familiar," he says, the implications left hanging in the air despite him not meaning it.

The boy regards him with the same intelligent gaze. He looks away into the distance, as the sun rises, illuminating him with a faint golden glow, making him look alive. 

"Zhong Chenle," the boy finally says, a ghost of a smile on his lips.   
  
  
  


The meadow cuts off into a small village, a reasonable distance away, when Chenle collapses without warning. 

They all freeze in horror, looking at the still body. Jeno wonders, belatedly, how he hadn't seen that coming. Come to think of it, he hadn't felt anything from Chenle at all from the moment they had started walking, not even a hint of exhaustion.

A soft whimper cuts his thoughts off, and he whirls around to look at Jisung burying his face into Jaemin's shoulder. Jaemin had opted to carry him on his back, and secretly Jeno worries for him because Jaemin hasn't been taking care of himself enough to carry someone's weight with him for such a long stretch of time. 

"Hyung..." Jisung rasps out, voice so small that Jeno feels something inside him shatter. 

He knows he's not the only one, because the next second, he's hit with such a strong wave of guilt that he almost stumbles. He looks at Jaemin in worry, but outwardly, Jaemin shows no evidence of feeling such a thing. Instead, he gently lowers Jisung to the floor and kneels beside Chenle's body. 

Right. Jaemin was a healer. Jeno had almost forgotten about that, considering how he never practiced his magic without Jisung around to support him.

Jaemin ghosts his palm over Chenle's forehead. "He's malnourished," he says after a while, but frowns at something. "And his magic is almost nonexistent..." 

Jisung tugs on Jaemin's sleeve, saying, "Let me help, please." 

Jaemin only frowns harder at that. "I couldn't possibly ask you to—"

But Jisung ignores him. And instead of leaning on Jaemin to help as a conduit to boost his magic through, he directly places a hand on Chenle's chest. Both Jaemin and Jeno's eyebrows fly into their hairline when a warm glow encompasses Jisung's hand. 

Jeno is completely baffled. A familiar using their own magic without the help of a witch? That's unheard of! He knows Jisung had an abnormal store of magic but this is actually insane. 

A few seconds pass, and Jaemin gently takes Jisung's hands away. "That's enough. You'll overwhelm his body and your own otherwise. You both need to rest now." 

Jisung nods, biting his bottom lip, avoiding Jaemin's stare. Jaemin doesn't relent however, placing a hand on Jisung's shoulder and keeping it there until Jisung finally makes eye contact. 

"Hyung... Can I..." 

Jaemin cups Jisung's cheeks and stares into him, as if searching for something. After a moment, he nods, and Jisung's shoulders lose the tension in them. A puff, and where he once was, stood a mouse. 

Jaemin scoops up the creature and deposits it in his pocket, before moving to try and pick Chenle up too. Jeno, who was observing in silence the  
whole time, quickly intervenes. 

"I'll take him," he says, picking up Chenle's body, almost dropping him once more when he severely overestimates his weight. He's so light, that can't possibly be healthy right?

But what did he expect exactly? Jisung had been missing for over a month, and who knows how long Chenle must have been there, considering he has been appearing in their flyers for a while now. The thought makes him want to throw up, the image of an unbonded familiar all alone in the hands of absolutely vile people too much for him to bear. 

Jeno wonders what exactly did happen to them. He's pushed back all the questions for now, knowing that this isn't the time, and judging by the hard lines of Jaemin's face, he's doing the same too. He can only hope Jaemin's calm behavior isn't a facade, but really, how likely is that? The poor boy was left alone without his familiar for a month. It would be a miracle if he truly was alright.

They walk in silence. They hail the first taxi they can find, digging around for spare change, ignoring the horrified look of the driver when she notices the unconscious boy they were carrying around. Still, she takes them to their destination without asking questions, almost in a hurry to leave them behind. 

Jeno stares at Jaemin, who has his hands protectively covering his chest, where Jisung rests. He wonders if anything will truly be alright again.   
  
  
  


Jeno is tasked with the job of retelling the story to Renjun and Donghyuck, both of them understandably raging but unable to truly do anything. Jeno lets them blow off steam through rapid-fire ranting, planning excruciating details of what they'd do to the ones who had hurt Jisung. 

Jeno remembers the emptiness of the meadow. The feeling of a presence without a soul. He doesn't know how to explain that they were probably dead already. 

They were all crammed in Jeno's room, giving Jaemin and Jisung space to be together. Chenle was whisked off to the infirmary upon entry, and Jaemin had vehemently rejected anyone who tried to do the same to Jisung. Jeno didn't stop him; Jaemin was ten times more skilled than any of the healers in the academy anyways. Jisung would be fine, finally back where he needs to be, under Jaemin's love and care. 

Renjun and Donghyuck tire eventually, both of them passed out on Jeno's bed. They were disappointed that they didn't get to meet Jisung, but they didn't try to pressure Jaemin either. Jeno feels a bit bad; amongst all of them, Jeno was the least close to Jisung, not even really friends. He feels it's unfair that he got to see Jisung before his actual friends did. 

He looks at the dirtied cellphone in his hand, the battery barely even alive. A miracle, really, that he even thought of leaving it there. No one had thanked him for it, but it's okay, he supposes. He doesn't do things for validation. He's just glad everyone is whole once more. 

Everyone except Jeno, that is. Because Jeno was never complete in the first place.  
  


That night, he dreams of Zhong Chenle.   
  
  


Classes don't stop just because Jeno wants them to. He has to force himself to attend every single day, following Renjun around like a lost puppy at times. Both of them antsy, one unable to meet Jisung, and one unable to meet Chenle. Donghyuck, as a familiar, doesn't have nearly as many classes as them, hence is allowed to be around Jaemin and Jisung. As a fellow familiar, Jisung tends to be a bit more comfortable around Donghyuck than the others. 

Jeno wonders if Chenle has anyone like that with him. Is he lonely? 

He gets his answer one Sunday morning.

Blessed with a rare free period, he's lounging on his bed. Renjun and Donghyuck had eventually moved back to their dorm with Jaemin. Jeno wonders how Jisung is doing; he knows Jaemin would let them meet only when Jisung is comfortable with it, so he hasn't really pushed it.

It seems like everyone is up to date with what went on, except Jeno himself. He feels a little bitter about it, because it was him who had contributed the most to finding them. It definitely stings in a way he didn't expect, but he understands that Jisung's comfort is ultimately the first priority. 

He's reading his potions textbook when suddenly, a rattling sound comes from the vents. Confused, he moves to sit up, when suddenly, the cover bursts open and and, in a flurry of dust, a cat falls on top of him, bounces off, and hits the floor. 

Jeno, blindsided and confused, can only gape as the cat transforms back into human, Zhong Chenle slumped over in all his glory, clutching his stomach. He wheezes painfully, spurring Jeno into action. 

"Are you okay?!" Jeno cries out, throwing the blankets off himself and moving to sit next to the boy. 

Chenle doesn't really look any better than when Jeno has last seen him, except the dark circles around his eyes are less prominent. He still looks too thin, too pale, too sick. Jeno can't help the overwhelming concern that floods him at the sight, a desperate urge to protect blooming within him. 

Chenle doesn't answer, moving to lean against Jeno's bed. He looks at Jeno silently, considering.

Finally, he speaks, in a wheezy, painful voice. "Do you have any food?" 

Jeno nods almost frantically, turning towards the mini fridge he has stocked with snacks and drinks. He's aware that something light would be best, and he eventually decides on a bottle of peach tea that Donghyuck was obsessed with. Chenle accepts it gratefully, bringing it up to his chapped lips and taking slow, careful sips. 

When he's halfway through the bottle, he glances up at Jeno, who's sitting across him with his legs crossed, a bit impatient. 

"That was your phone, wasn't it?" Chenle asks, quiet. 

Jeno is surprised, but manages to nod. 

"Thank you," Chenle says, looking directly at him. "Thank you so much."

Jeno feels heat rushing to his cheeks, heart ten times lighter at the expression of gratitude he had secretly been yearning for all this time. He smiles shyly, and whispers "you're welcome."

Another minute passes before Chenle speaks again. 

"Where is Jisung?" 

"He's with Jaemin. I don't really know anything beyond that, sorry. We aren't really close," Jeno admits, then cringes immediately. Was that too much?

"You and Jaemin?" Chenle asks, confused. 

"Jisung," Jeno clarifies. "But, um, I don't think there's much to worry about. Jaemin's good at healing and everything, Jisung's in good hands."

"Yeah, I know. Jisung talked about him a lot when we were there. I just miss him." 

There's an unspoken question left in the air, one that Jeno is too afraid to ask. 

"You know, you can talk about it," Chenle says. "I don't really care. I'll spill everything to you."

Jeno blanches at how direct he was, and to his surprise, Chenle laughs. It's an absolutely beautiful sound, high-pitched and so free that Jeno can't help but crack a smile in return. 

The moment disappears once Chenle starts talking. Though the topic is heavy, he speaks about it in such an apathetic, detached tone that Jeno can't help but be worried. 

He speaks about a camp that collects familiars with a large magic storage like Jisung, singling out both the best and most lonely ones. Ones that were unbonded, wouldn't be missed. He speaks about how they would be used as a battery to power a machine that would transform things to gold, how they would use it to indulge in wealth in luxury while the familiars were left to rot. All of them die eventually, Chenle says, body too drained to continue on. 

Chenle explains that his specialty, illusions, was what made him ideal to be a poster boy for the camp. He explains that he got drained much quicker than the average "battery", which was why they had brought in Jisung. 

He trails off a bit there, and Jeno quickly tries to tell him that it's OK if he doesn't give the full details, but Chenle shakes his head violently.

"No! No... I want to... it's just..." he takes in a deep breath, "you can't be mad at Jisung, okay?" 

Jeno blinks, confused. "Why would I be mad at Jisung?" 

"Because he killed them, Jeno," Chenle says, voice hard and sharp, eyes downcast and fingers squeezing the bottle in his hands. "Enjoyed it too. And I don't blame him, Jeno, I really don't, but I know he's blaming himself."

Jeno feels his heart drop, a chill traveling through his spine. He expected that— hell, he even felt it, the mass of dead bodies underneath him, but hearing it only made it more real. Still, he doesn't blame Jisung either. Chenle's description sounds horrifying enough even though Jeno knows with utmost certainty that he was hiding most of the details from him. 

Jeno won't force him to talk. Instead, he asks, "Will the infirmary look for you?" 

Chenle shakes his head. "They let me go. Told me to go back home, but I haven't exactly had that in a while."

Jeno smiles sadly. "Stay here then."

Chenle looks up, surprised. "You'll let me?"

"Of course."  
  
  


Jeno meets Jaemin after a long time when he bumps into the latter walking out of his dorm. They don't share any classes, and Jaemin was constantly holed up in his dorm now anyways. Jeno misses him, so he quickly moves to walk in step with Jaemin, hoping he's not being intruding. 

Jaemin, to his relief, smiles at him softly. Jeno can't see Jisung, but knows that he's probably tucked safely in Jaemin's bag or pocket. He's not sure if it's appropriate to ask about Jisung, so instead he talks about something else that's been bothering him. 

Namely, Chenle. 

Chenle has become a sort of permanent fixture in Jeno's room, spending his time going through Jeno's books or playing stupid mobile games on Jeno's phone. It's nice, honestly, and makes him feel less lonely but... 

To be blunt, Chenle concerns him. The way he's still too thin, the way he has trouble eating, the way he sometimes takes too long to wake up. He still passes out occasionally, waking up immediately after and pretending like nothing ever happened. It makes Jeno wonder if the infirmary even did anything to help him. 

It doesn't end there. Chenle has nightmares, often wakes Jeno up from his whimpering. He seems to have no issue sharing a bed with Jeno, but flinches whenever Jeno comes too close otherwise, and sometimes he spaces out entirely, eyes blank and posture rigid. Jeno is lost on what to do, and he's finally desperate enough to go against Chenle's wishes and ask for help. 

Jaemin listens to all this with wide eyes. He doesn't respond for a long time, and it's only when they've reached the exit of the building that he says, "Let me and Jisung meet him. "

Jeno nods, hoping that Jisung being there would help. It was obvious the two had gotten close over the two months they were together, even more obvious how much Chenle misses him. 

To his surprise, Jisung pokes his head out of Jaemin's pocket, sniffing adorably. He regards Jeno with wide eyes, then turns to look at Jaemin. Jaemin's eyes soften immediately, and he regards Jisung with a fond gaze. 

"Jisung has missed him, a lot," Jaemin explains softly, bringing a finger up to smooth over Jisung's head. 

Something in Jeno's chest constricts at the action, a rare feeling of envy crawling up his stomach. He tries to brush it off immediately, confused to why he would even feel that way, but he finds that it only grows stronger. 

He stares at Jisung nuzzles into Jaemin's fingers. Stares as Jaemin waves him goodbye. Stares at Jaemin's retreating back, a bitter aftertaste in his tongue.   
  
  


When Jeno walks into his room with Jaemin in tow, a lamp is flung at his head. 

Jeno doesn't even register it coming, but luckily it misses him by an inch and smashes against the wall behind them. He blinks, overwhelmed, and stares at Chenle, who stares back in horror. 

"I- I'm sorry, I just panicked," Chenle says, hands trembling, whether from fear or physical weakness, Jeno doesn't know.

Jaemin speaks before Jeno can even formulate a response, his deep voice calm and tender. "It's okay. I'm just here to check up on you, if that's alright? I have Jisung here with me too." 

At this, Chenle's eyes widen, and he seems conflicted. 

"I promise it's nothing major," Jaemin continues, seeing the hesitation. "Your injuries have mostly healed, but you're still too weak. I'll help draw up a meal plan for you alright? And we can bring back your magic to you, one step at time." 

"Y- you can do that?" Chenle asks, gripping his own arms protectively. 

"There are replenishers you can drink. It'll have to be slow, to not overwhelm your body, but I'd say in about a month's time you can start using it freely." 

There's a pause as Chenle considers, before he finally nods. Jaemin smiles at this, gentle and placating as he moves to sit next to Chenle on the bed. 

"Jisung told me you had trouble waking up there," Jaemin says quietly, ghosting a hand over Chenle's temple. "Your magic is drained to it's limit, you need to avoid using it completely, otherwise you'll stop waking up at all." 

Jeno flinches at this statement, shocked at the honesty behind it, but he supposes the gravity of it never really settled for him until it was laid bare like this. He can't help the clawing worry at this chest, and prays desperately that there is something he can do to help. 

Chenle doesn't seem nearly as surprised, but his head hangs low. "I was just trying to protect Jisung," he whispers, almost as if it's a secret. 

"I understand. And I'm so grateful for it. But I'm here now, to look after him, so you focus on yourself, alright?"

Chenle nods, hesitates once more, then asks, "Can I see him?" 

Jaemin doesn't respond to this, only pokes lightly at his pocket until a little head comes out. Chenle's eyes widen at this, and he gasps in delight. 

"Oh, your familiar form is cute! I wish mine was that adorable!"

"It is," Jeno can't stop himself from saying, flushing when three pairs of eyes lock onto him. He continues, trying to explain himself, "I- I really like cats, Chenle. They're my favorite animal, so um... Your familiar form is really adorable to me."

Chenle smiles widely at that. "Really? Then I guess I have to get better right?!" 

Jaemin smiles approvingly, before standing up and facing Jeno. Jisung has ducked back into his home in Jaemin's shirt, and Jeno realizes he hasn't really seen Jisung away from Jaemin's vicinity after he had come back. While previously, he would be found napping in random pots and pans, or resting in their hair, he seemed to exclusively stick to Jaemin now, never even venturing out of his designated spot. It's concerning, but Jeno doesn't think it's his place to comment on it. 

Is it his place to comment on anything anymore? He's sure Jaemin knows all the details of what happened, but Jeno is still left mostly in the dark, even with Chenle filling in some of the blanks. 

The feeling of envy is back, and it burns. 

"I'll write up a meal plan for him. Make sure he follows it, okay?" Jaemin's voice cuts into his thoughts. 

Jeno nods quickly, waving away those previous thoughts, excited at the prospect that he can actually do something to help. 

"And..." Jaemin continues, hesitating for a moment. "Let me know if things get... bad. Like... you know..." he seems unsure of how to continue but Jeno gets it. 

Chenle's nightmares have lessened in frequency, but they can't exactly ignore the shattered glass surrounding them. He still has strange episodes like that, ones that Jeno isn't really sure of how to deal with, but Chenle remains adamant that Jeno speaks to no one about it. For now, he'll respect his wishes, but he vows to go to Jaemin if things spiral out of control. 

When Jaemin takes his leave, Chenle collapses onto the bed with a sigh. 

"I wanted to talk to Jisung more," he admits. "Like, the actual human Jisung." 

Jeno smiles sympathetically. "I'm sure it'll happen soon."

"I know," Chenle sighs. "I just miss him."

"I... miss Jaemin, so I get you," Jeno admits, surprising himself. It's true, he realises. He does miss Jaemin, the way they hung out almost constantly, but he gets it. He really does. Jaemin and Jisung have their own issues to work through now. Jeno believes his patience will pay off some day.

Was that why he was feeling so envious suddenly? It still doesn't feel right, but he discards it for now, and picks up a broom instead to sweep up the mess Chenle made. 

"If only I had my magic, I could help," Chenle sighs. 

Jeno frowns. "You said your specialty was illusions though? How would that help?"

Chenle flinches. "Oh...Um, nevermind."

Jeno leaves it at that, but it's hard to ignore the feeling of hurt when he realizes that everyone he talks to is hiding something from him.   
  
  


Other than the strange loneliness he still feels, Jeno thinks things have fallen into a sort of rhythm. He wakes up, makes sure Chenle has eaten, attends class, comes back, finishes his work as fast as he can and spends the rest of the play keeping Chenle company. The boy is surprisingly loud and playful when he's truly in a good mood, and while those days were sometimes few and far in between, Jeno treasures them dearly. The rest of the days, Chenle is quieter, preferring to curl underneath the covers and flick through one of Jeno's thick textbooks. He'll occasionally speak up to ask a question, but otherwise stays silent. 

Jeno still feels no emotions from Chenle, and he's wondering if the boy has figured out a way to block out Jeno's magic entirely, or if he really was that in control of his emotions. Occasionally, when he's asleep, Jeno would be hit with a wave of fear, but that's the extent of it.

Other than that, things are going well, Jeno thinks, and it lasts true for only another day. 

Amongst everything, Jeno had forgotten that their room checkups were due, and he returns after class to find a commotion inside his room. Heart lurching, he slams the door open, to find Chenle cornered by the supervisor, crouched and trembling.

The supervisor turns around at the noise. Chenle takes that moment to push past her legs, springing up and shoving aside to sprint out the door. Jeno tries to grab him, but is forced to stop when the door just... disappears, and is replaced by a solid concrete wall. 

He whips back, confused and scared. Unable to find an outlet for his anger, he turns to face the supervisor, crying out, "why would you scare him like that?" 

"He's not registered here, thus he can't stay," the supervisor answers in a cold tone, fingers fishing out a cellphone from her pocket. "Now, I must call someone to break us out of here."

Anger momentarily forgotten, Jeno stares at the wall. "His specialty is illusions... We could probably just walk through."

The supervisor laughs, mocking. "That? That is no illusion. That is as solid as a wall can be. Can you not feel it? The magic seeping out of it in waves?"

And he does. It's honestly almost terrifying how potent the magic seemed to be, but none of that matters compared to the betrayal he's feeling when he realizes that Chenle had fed him yet another lie with the whole illusions bullshit. The feeling is almost immediately replaced by another; concern. Chenle must have expended a lot of magic to conjure that wall, magic that he still wasn't healthy enough to use. And if he's running out alone, no cellphone or anything then... 

Jeno gulps. This was more serious than he realized.  
  
  


It's almost night time when they finally manage to escape. His ears are bleeding by the time he wanders out, the hours filled with excruciating lectures of the rules and regulations of their dorm, combined with frustration rolling off the supervisor in waves that Jeno just could not block out no matter how hard he tried.

His legs are wobbly, but he doesn't care, immediately making a beeline for Jaemin's room. He knows that he shouldn't visit without warning, considering how delicate the Jisung situation seems to be, but his mind is a nonstop mantra of _chenle chenle chenle_ that won't shut up. 

He has enough mind to knock on the door, and it whirls open surprisingly fast. Jeno doesn't even have time to open his mouth before a hand yanks him in. 

Jaemin looks absolutely terrified, sweating, eyes wide and he's trembling. "Jeno... Jeno, have you seen Jisung anywhere?" 

Jeno is blindsided by the brief flash of Jaemin's emotions and thoughts that flow into him before he can clamp the automatic link shut. He physically shakes his head to right himself, then processes what Jaemin says. 

"Chenle ran away... he got found by the supervisor, maybe they're together," he manages to gasp out. 

Jaemin bites his lips, the skin painfully red. "I only left him here to go get something from the library... he didn't want to be alone, I- I shouldn't have... I should have listened to him—"

"Jaemin, calm down," Jeno cuts in worriedly, taking a step towards him.

Jaemin inhales shakily. "What if they're hurt? Oh, I just know they'll be scared, I should've been there, Jeno I—"

"Jaemin—"

"What if I lose him again?" Jaemin whispers out, yet it rings louder than a scream. He looks absolutely terrified, looking up at Jeno with wide, wet eyes like a child looking for comfort. It's almost on instinct that Jeno covers the remaining distance between them and pulls Jaemin to his chest. 

"We'll find them, Jaemin. They couldn't have gotten far,"Jeno soothes, both to himself and Jaemin. It is true, now that he thinks about it; Chenle is too weak to do so and Jisung would never willingly go out into an open crowd without any of his older friends nearby. 

Jaemin sniffs, and to Jeno's horror, he feels his shirt dampen. 

"Jaemin, it's okay, seriously!" Jeno panics, unsure of what to say. "We can.. You and I, we—"

"You know," Jaemin interrupts, huffing into Jeno's chest weakly. "For someone who's an empath, you're so bad at dealing with emotions." 

Jeno can't help but chuckle at that, then cringes because Jaemin might take offense to that. To his pleasant surprise, Jaemin straightens up and looks at him with tears decorating his cheeks.

"I've missed you, you know," Jaemin says quietly. 

"You have?" Jeno can't help but ask, surprised. 

Jaemin blinks, not expecting that response. "Of course? You're my best friend, of course I did."

Jeno doesn't know what overcomes him at that moment. Perhaps it's the loneliness that has accumulated from being away from them for long. Perhaps it was watching the way Jaemin and Jisung, and Renjun and Donghyuck fit so naturally with each other. Perhaps it was the knowledge that they never tell him anything, hiding everything that's not superficial. Perhaps it was the fact that Jaemin hasn't tried to contact him in the past weeks, the way he hadn't even thanked Jeno for helping him reunite with Jisung, the way Jeno just... felt discarded.

"Well, you don't really act like it, do you? You don't even talk to me anymore. You've been really shitty honestly, I spend two months looking after your ass and you return it with what? Radio silence? I know everyone else is more important to you, but fuck Jaemin, it hurts," Jeno spits out before he can stop himself. 

The resounding silence is deafening. Jeno wants to slap himself for saying that, regretting every negative thought about Jaemin that has ever flown through his mind when he both sees and feels how hurt and shocked Jaemin is at the statement, eyes wide, mouth agape. He visibly struggles to say something, before closing his mouth and taking in a deep, trembling breath. His teeth clamp down on his bottom lip, hard.

Jeno opens his mouth to try and explain, but Jaemin turns around, not quick enough for Jeno to miss the way his eyes start to glisten again. 

"Not now, Jeno," Jaemin says, walking towards the door. 

There's nothing Jeno can do except follow.   
  


The thing about Jisung, when he's in human form, is that his body loses the one outlet it has for his magic hence builds up and essentially functions as a blaring signal. Even from a considerable distance apart, Jeno could feel his magic, thick in the air, as he and Jaemin hurry to follow. 

Jaemin hasn't talked to him throughout the entire search, them methodically checking every floor, until they stumbled into the dim lit laundry room that nobody uses. Behind one of the broken washing machines lies Jisung, curled up tight, arms wrapped around his stomach.

Jaemin exhales in relief, his shoulders dropping as he falls to his knees in front of him.

Jisung looks up, eyes wide and fearful, before he registers Jaemin's face. 

"Hyung!" Jisung cries out, moving to get up, though he stumbles almost immediately. Jaemin rushes to steady him, pulling him up slowly and frowning at the way Jisung's hands seem attached to his stomach. 

"Are you hurt?" Jaemin asks. 

Jisung hesitates, just a bit, before nodding, but Jeno catches it anyway. Feels the unease he's feeling, and draws an unpleasant conclusion. 

"Chenle did something, didn't he?" Jeno asks, wary of the answer. 

Jisung stills, and that's answer enough. 

"What did he do?" Jeno asks, eyes wide, not wanting to believe that Chenle could hurt anyone, let alone Jisung. 

"It wasn't his fault," Jisung says, voice shaky yet somehow he sounds extremely sure in his words. "I think I freaked him out, and he reacted on instinct, and now I don't know where he is." 

"Did he use his magic?" Jaemin asks.

"Y- yes."

There's a beat, and Jisung's eyes widen as he realizes what he just gave away, but it's too late. Of course Jeno had seen it with his own eyes, that Chenle's magic was something beyond simple illusions, but this is the nail in the coffin. 

Jaemin either doesn't notice the tension, or ignores it. He turns to Jeno, regarding him with a carefully blank expression, except Jeno is _Jeno_ and he can feel the hurt Jaemin is trying so hard to mask. 

"Let's go search for him," Jaemin says, and starts walking without waiting for an answer, Jisung pressed against his side. Jeno can't help but stare for too long, before he snaps out of it and follows.  
  
  
  


Jisung's stomach hurt too much for him to walk much longer, and he's too tired to shift into a mouse, so Jaemin ends up having to occupy him back to their room to heal. He seemed reluctant, but Jeno had told him it was alright and that he could continue the search by himself. Jaemin left with the promise of rejoining once they can, but it's late at night and Jeno is much, much further from the academy than he anticipated.

He was tired the whole time, heart weighed down both by exhaustion and sadness, unable to stop thinking about his fight with Jaemin. He thinks back to what he said, and while they were true, snapping at Jaemin was definitely not the way to go about things. 

But at the same time, he feels it kind of justified, but still... 

His mind is warzone, and it definitely doesn't help that rain has started to patter down, and combined with the stress that he _still_ can't find Chenle, Jeno honestly thinks he's about to cry. 

He's so overwhelmed. He doesn't even know where he is, or where he's going. The streets are empty, and Jeno is still unfamiliar with the area, and if anyone tries to hurt him he's completely defenseless. He's cold and vulnerable, but he manages to yell out Chenle's name weakly through chattering teeth. 

He definitely didn't expect a response.

It's not verbal, no, but it's as if someone _screams_ into his mind, loud enough that Jeno stumbles in his steps. 

Ears ringing, vision blurring, it takes a moment for him to collect his thoughts to focus on what the voice is saying. 

_The alleyway to your left_. 

Jeno wastes no time rushing there, despite having to lean against the wall to hold himself upright. His eyes catch the figure on the floor immediately, and he quickly scrambles to crouch down, uncaring of the unforgiving cement against his bare knees. 

Chenle stares up at him, cheek squished against the dirty road, hair wet and sticking to his forehead. He looks tired, sick, and scared but he's _here_ , and that's what counts. Jeno can deal with everything else, he only hopes Chenle will let him. 

Jeno interlaces their fingers together, brings it up to press his lips against Chenle's hand in comfort. He catches the flicker of a smile on Chenle's face, and moreover, he catches the flicker of happiness and the overwhelming relief that Chenle feels. For once, Jeno isn't locked out from his feelings. His heart already feels lighter.

The sound of the rain falling is slowly becoming thunderous, and as day gives away to night, the street lamps light up. They give off a hazy yellow glow, and Jeno sees the way it highlights all the angles on Chenle's face, casting too many shadows. 

Chenle's smile has faded, and he stares up at Jeno with wide eyes. 

"Jeno..." he says, barely audible. "I hurt Jisung."

Jeno smiles sadly at the guilt that's creeping out of Chenle. It would be a lie to say that he didn't hurt Jisung, but it would be the truth to claim that Jisung didn't mind. 

"He understands," Jeno soothes, hooking a hand under Chenle's arm, the other around his waist. He eases him up, frowning at the wince of pain that flashes across Chenle's face. 

"I wish he didn't have to," Chenle whispers, leaning against Jeno. 

Then, he says, "Hyung, I'm so tired." 

Jeno's eyes widen as the reality of the situation crashes around him. Both of them alone, in a little alleyway hidden in an empty street, a brewing storm unrelenting around them. Jeno knows that he's too tired to carry Chenle back but he has to _try_. 

He manages to lift him onto his back without much struggle, and gets up on stiff legs. One leg forward, then the other, and so on, he tells himself. He can't see clearly beyond his blurry vision and the drops of rain that hit hard against his face. He doesn't even know if Chenle is awake anymore. 

As if he could read his mind, Chenle speaks up weakly, "I'm so sorry."

"Don't be," Jeno grits out immediately, the thought of blaming Chenle never having crossed his mind. 

"I'm sorry for running away. I'm sorry for wasting your time. I'm sorry for the weather," Chenle continues. 

"The weather?" Jeno blinks, confused. 

"At least let me do this for you," Chenle whispers, breath warm against Jeno's ear, sending a shiver throughout his spine. 

And then the exhaustion disappears. 

Jeno is so surprised he jerks to a stop. He lifts a leg as a test, marvels at how _easy_ it is, how it doesn't feel as if it's weighed down by lead. He tries with his other leg, and it moves so obediently. One step, then the next, and he's walking faster than he ever has, mindful not to slip on the wet concrete. 

What the hell did Chenle do? 

But the boy has passed out on his back, Jeno knows. But he has gifted him this. And Jeno's going to make full use of it to get them back safe.   
  
  


Jaemin stares at the window, at the merciless raindrops pounding against it, stressed beyond belief. If Jeno was still out there... 

The room is vacant except for him and Jisung. Renjun and Donghyuck had disappeared sometime in the evening to god knows where. Jaemin trusts them to stay safe, but _Jeno_... 

What if the last words between them was an argument? An argument that could've been avoided if Jaemin had just been a better friend. Can he even call himself that? Because Jeno was right. Jaemin had been shitty, extremely so. He had constantly pushed Jeno to the back of his mind, so focused on himself and Jisung, no matter how many times his familiar had told him that he wanted to see Chenle, that Jaemin should go see Jeno. What has he done? His obsession with keeping Jisung close to him had led him here; if only he had _listened_. 

It's ironic, really. Jisung went to the camp with silent hope of gaining independence without the plague of anxiety. And even if he never really attended the actual camp for longer than a day, he had still done exactly that. It wasn't Jisung who clung onto him anymore, it was Jaemin. 

A groan interrupts his thoughts. He looks down at Jisung, sprawled across his lap, clutching his stomach. Jaemin felt so helpless, his magic almost useless without Jisung's aid, and really, what was the point of becoming a healer if he couldn't heal the ones he loved the most? 

"Jisung," Jaemin whispers, bending down, pressing his cheek into Jisung's hair. "I'm so sorry, baby."

"It's okay," Jisung wheezes out, leaning into his touch, pressing the hot water bag Jaemin had given him deeper into his skin. "Chenle's just really strong. It'll stop hurting soon."

"We wouldn't be here, if it weren't for me," Jaemin continues on, tears threatening to spill out of his eyes. 

Jisung shakes his head sharply, until Jaemin dislodges himself. When Jaemin straightens up, he pushes onto his elbow and gets up, immediately falling into Jaemin's chest. 

"Don't blame yourself. Please," Jisung says, burying his face into the crook of Jaemin's neck. "I'm worried too. But they'll come back, hyung. And when they do, we'll help them."

There isn't anything Jaemin can do except nod. He winds an arm around Jisung's back, presses him tightly to himself, and rubs soothing circles into his back. 

Jaemin is sick of waiting for things beyond his control. But Jisung is right. 

It's all they can do.   
  
  
  


When Jeno wakes up, it's to a pounding headache, ringing ears and something jutting into his ribs. He feels as if he's suspended in mid-air, weightless with nothing to ground him. He's not sure if he's awake or asleep. 

And then something elbows him sharply and he jerks up. 

He pants heavily, confused, blinking erratically until he realizes it was Chenle, curled up against his side and shifting in his sleep. Despite all that, he looks the definition of serene, like a fallen angel. 

Jeno sighs in relief, then looks around to monitor his surroundings. Familiar white walls greet him, and he relaxes, recognising the interior of the patient's ward of the infirmary. He looks for the familiar window of the place, overlooking the endless sky, but is instead faced with a wide pair of eyes. 

"Jaemin..." The name falls off his lips easily, without him even having to think about it. Jaemin is standing in front of him, eyes puffy and red, his dark circles more prominent than ever. His hair is standing on end, messy and far from the usual meticulous styling. Now that Jeno's more awake, he feels it, the presence of everyone else in the room. Jaemin's relief and fear, coupled with peace and tranquility from Jisung. 

His eyes automatically draw to Jaemin's shirt, but the fabric looks too undisturbed to be housing a mouse in it. Which means...

His eyes travel onto the bed, widening when he sees the animal nestled in Chenle's hair, blending into it easily. 

"Jaemin," he says again, resuming eye contact once more. "Can we talk?" 

Jaemin nods and moves to help Jeno off the bed. He's a steadying presence next to Jeno, and despite the bitterness he still feels, despite the frustration, the comfort Jaemin brings him will never change. He leans heavily into Jaemin and allows himself to be steered out. 

"You aren't bringing Jisung with you?" He asks. 

Jaemin shakes his head. "He'll be fine on his own," he says, glancing at the duo curled up on the bed. 

Jeno smiles. Glances at Jaemin's face. It's midnight, but the moon is still high, and Jaemin looks ethereal under it. Jeno remembers why he was so obsessed with Jaemin at first, even before he got to know the real him, the odd quirks, the firm yet gentle demeanour, the relaxed posture that makes Jaemin who he is.   
Even now, with his face blotchy with tears, swollen cheeks and all, he tries to look calm.

They step into the balcony fully, overlooking the campus, still and silent at this hour. Jeno wonders how long he has been unconscious. He turns to ask Jaemin, but pauses when he sees Jaemin visibly grasping for words.

"Jeno," Jaemin begins, turning to face him fully. "I'm so, _so_ sorry. When Jisung disappeared, I really think I would've gone crazy if you weren't there to help me. And.. We wouldn't have even found him if it weren't for you, wouldn't have been able to bring them back, and the fact that you continued to look after Chenle made Jisung so _happy_ and —" he pauses to take a deep, shuddering breath. 

"And this isn't just about Jisung. Jeno, you're seriously my best friend, even if I haven't shown it very well. I've never felt as comfortable with anyone as with you, and I'm so grateful, Jeno. For everything you've done, from when we've met to this current moment. And I know excuses won't make it better but, I was just so scared because what if Jisung disappeared again when I looked away from him? I wouldn't have been able to survive that, Jeno, I—" 

He's rambling now, Jeno notices, and he feels just how panicked Jaemin is becoming. It's a side to him he's never seen before, and Jaemin is trusting him enough to bare it to him. Despite the situation, Jeno feels strangely touched by the action.

Jeno is quick to cut him off with a steadying hand to his shoulder. "Jaemin," he begins slowly, smiling at Jaemin to let him know he isn't mad. "Next time you feel all these things, talk to me, okay? Let me be there for you too. And I'm sorry too... For snapping at you like that." 

Jaemin sniffs adorably, smushing his cheek against Jeno's hand. He looks so small like this, so unlike the prodigious healer he's hailed amongst the academy as, and more like a little child searching for comfort.

"Jeno, don't be sorry. It must've been so frustrating. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. And—" 

He hesitates. Jeno wonders what else is left to say. 

"Please don't be mad at this?" Jaemin says, voice so small, eyes trained on the floor. 

Confused, Jeno nods, but he's not cruel enough to let Jaemin continue like that. Jaemin is in desperate need for reassurance, so he pulls Jaemin into a hug and lets him settle against Jeno's collarbones.

"Jeno, I'm really not a healer," Jaemin says, with a large exhale. His shoulders droop, when Jeno can only reply with a confused sound. "It's not healing, really. It's a branch of magic that no one really uses anymore. Puppeteering, they call it. I'm not healing the body directly, I'm _telling_ it to heal itself. I'm telling it not to feel pain. The same way I can tell it to do anything I want, like walk a certain way or talk a certain way. You get it right? From the name itself, it means the entire human body is at my fingertips to control if I want to." 

Jeno is left reeling, realizing the implications, but he pulls Jaemin tighter to him anyways. 

"No one... no one ever used it like I do. They would do horrible things with it, and there was a time when I did too... My parents cast me away, saying I was cursed, and that's how I met Jisung. And we both vowed to never hurt people with it, only help them."

Jeno remains silent, feeling that Jaemin isn't done talking. 

Jaemin pulls back suddenly, to look him in the eye, desperation clouding his features. "I'm telling you this because I trust you. No one, and I mean _n_ _o one_ can know about this. If anyone finds out that I can do that, combined with Jisung's near infinite magic source... Jeno, we'll be killed... And..."

His voice quiets down to a whisper. 

"Everyone will hate me." 

Jeno stares at Jaemin. Stares at the redness of his eyes. Stares at his cheeks which are always a bit too sunken because Jaemin would always much rather feed someone else than himself. Looks at the pink sweater he's wearing, a gag gift from Donghyuck that Jaemin treasures deeply. Looks at hair, dyed a bright blue after Renjun off-handedly mentioned he'd look nice in it. He looks at all the things that makes Jaemin into who he is, the love that's embedded into every inch of him. The way he treasures Jisung so dear to his heart, the way he takes care of Donghyuck and Renjun like a parent, the way he looks after Chenle even if he has no obligation to.

The way he is Jeno's first friend, the first one to show him love beyond words on a page, the first one to give him warmth the way the covers of his bed could never compare to.

He drops his head down to bury his face into Jaemin's hair, inhaling the citrus scent. Presses his lips against Jaemin's forehead. 

"Jaemin, I could never hate you," he whispers. "Nothing you ever do, or say, or _not_ say, will ever make me hate you." 

It's not a lot to say, not after that confession, not in comparison to the emotions Jaemin is feeling. Emotions that twist around Jeno's own, until he can't differentiate where he begins and where Jaemin ends. 

In the silver glow of the moonlight, Jaemin cries into Jeno's chest, and Jeno holds him all the way through.   
  
  


The next few days are a blur. Jeno isn't in bad condition, just stuck in bed with a raging fever that cools down periodically and flares up again. It's Chenle that really needs attention; attention that he gets in the form of Jaemin and Jisung hovering above him at all times and never letting him go. Jeno hasn't got to talk to Chenle much, and that's okay. It doesn't really matter, because Chenle stumbles out of his own bed every night to crawl into Jeno's arms anyways, until Jaemin drags him back in fear that he'll catch a fever too. 

Jeno's company comes in the form of Renjun and Donghyuck. Between catching up on missed notes, engaging in their useless bickering and playing games on their switch, time passes without Jeno realizing until he recovers enough to be kicked out. 

He takes it good naturedly, and busies himself with studies. It's strange, having the four walls to himself again, but this time it's not the directionless loneliness that had plagued him. This time, he has certainty that Chenle will return to him when he's ready, and has certainty that Jaemin will be there with them every step of the way. 

The days pass by without him realizing. Swamped with catching up on everything he missed, he doesn't have much time to go visit Chenle, but he knows Chenle wouldn't be alone. Not with Jisung glued to his side. 

And one day, his patience pays off. The door creaks open, and there stands Chenle, smile beaming and eyes twinkling.

Jeno's chair falls to the ground in his hurry to get up. His arms are outstretched before he even realizes it and Chenle barrels into them without second thought. 

It's as if everything that was missing the past weeks just click into place. Chenle fits so securely in his arms that Jeno doesn't want to let go. And he feels _soft,_ not the hard, bony edges that Jeno had gotten used to. He pulls back, and stares in wonder at Chenle's face, ten times fuller than when Jeno last saw him. His eyes aren't tired, his lips aren't dry, and his cheeks are so chubby that Jeno can't help but pinch them. And moreover, Jeno can feel happiness radiating off of him, practically palpable in its intensity. 

Unsure if he's real, Jeno pokes Chenle's side sharply.

Chenle shrieks, and it's so _l_ _oud_ , so full of life that Jeno almost cries right then and there. Jaemin was a miracle worker, and Jeno is already planning how he'd show is gratitude in his head.

But for now... 

"Did you miss me?" Chenle asks, letting go of Jeno to flop onto his bed. Jeno follows, wordlessly nodding, sitting on the edge and reaching for Chenle with grabby hands. 

Chenle laughs, and _oh_ how Jeno has missed that sound. He shifts until his head is cushioned on Jeno's thighs, and he beams up at Jeno once more. 

"I missed you too," Chenle says. 

They stay like that, until the initial giddiness wears off. The atmosphere turns a bit solemn, but Jeno isn't really afraid anymore. 

Chenle takes a deep breath, getting up, and leans against Jeno's side. His fingers absent-mindedly pulls on a thread on Jeno's jeans, and Jeno lets him.

"I owe you an explanation, don't I?"

Jeno only hums, bringing a hand up to Chenle's hair and carding his fingers through the knotted locks. 

Chenle takes in a deep breath before starting. "I guess I was like Jisung, at first. Uncontrollable magic, except I didn't have a witch to direct it through, so it just... Accumulated inside me, until it exploded out and I got sent to the camp to "fix" myself. And while I was there, they helped me at first. They taught me how to use it, and I discovered my specialty. And I lied to everyone, saying that it was illusion magic, but it's really not. If they knew the reality, they wouldn't have let me survive this long."

Jeno remembers his conversation with Jaemin, and feels so much sympathy for them both for having to hide who they really were for this long. He's ready to comfort Chenle if needed, and nods for the boy to continue.

"It's not your perception of reality I can bend. It's reality itself," Chenle admits with a bitter laugh. 

Jeno can't stop the expression of surprise that he shows. Chenle doesn't miss it either, because his smile falls into something defeated. 

"That's... really cool, Chenle," Jeno says, a bit breathless, because _wow._ The possibilities of a magic like that, it sounds absolutely insane, and all that contained in the little body currently squished against his? It's unbelievable, how does Jeno even respond to that?

That must've been the right thing to say, because Chenle flushes, red showing easily through his pale skin. "It's not, really. I don't have enough magic in me to use it properly anymore, the most I can do is conjure up a little fire or something."

"Then why don't you bond with me?" The words are out of Jeno's mouth before he can stop them, taking both him and Chenle by surprise. It's as if time stops, when Chenle freezes, eyes widening. When Jeno's own heart skips a beat or two, cold washing over him like a bucket of ice. 

Oh no... Oh no, what did he just do? 

"You - you shouldn't joke around like that," Chenle stutters weakly. 

Jeno doesn't know what possesses him in that moment, where the sudden bravery came from, but he spurs on without a thought. "I meant it though," he says, uncharacteristic boldness escaping his tongue, rendering them both speechless. 

It takes a moment for Chenle to collect himself, and to Jeno's horror, his eyes are watering. 

And then he feels it. The pure elation coming from Chenle, the giddiness, the joy, and every other synonym that he can think of. His hands are trembling, Jeno realizes, not because of fear but because of _happiness_. 

Their eyes meet, and the first tear falls. 

Now, Jeno didn't magically become a whole new person in the span of a few weeks, and this isn't Jaemin he's talking to. He's still undeniably shitty when it comes to comforting crying people, but it seems that Chenle doesn't care about that as he rams into Jeno's chest so hard, his breath escapes his lungs and they fall onto the bed together. 

The arms wound around his waist are tight, and his shirt is dampening at an alarming rate. Jeno returns the actions with just as much enthusiasm, and tangled in each other's limbs, Jeno realizes that he really doesn't feel lonely anymore.   
  
  
  


(They celebrate, of course. Jeno gets absolutely shit-faced drunk as he sips on a potion Donghyuck gave to him as a dare. Chenle is clinging onto his back like a koala, peals of laughter ringing through the room, lighting it up. Renjun eggs them on with all the ferocity his little body contains, pausing with a scream as Chenle leaps off Jeno's back, transforms into a cat, and knocks Renjun down all in one graceful action. 

Jaemin watches over them, exasperated at their behavior, the only sober one there. Even Jisung had snuck a few sips in, knocked out against Jaemin's side, red faced and expression blissful as he navigates dreamland. 

Jeno makes eye contact over Donghyuck's shoulder with Jaemin, and revels in the small smile he gets in return.

The moment is interrupted when Chenle tackles them both into a hug, knocking all of them to the floor like dominos, as Jaemin watches in amusement. 

Holding _his_ familiar to his chest, Jeno closes his eyes and basks in the warmth surrounding him. Amongst the sounds of his friends, the warm hand that's settled on his shoulder, Jaemin's steadying presence coupled with Chenle heavy on his chest, Jeno thinks he's finally found his place in the world, one half of a completed whole.)  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for making it this far. I never expected to write a sequel to the previous work, and definitely never thought it'd turn out this long. 
> 
> Im 100% open to exploring this universe even more if you guys are interested. Or you can give me other ideas to write for, just on the condition that there isn't any romance involved bc i really hate writing it fbdjsjsk. 
> 
> I dont expect this to do well at all. But to whoever did read this, thank you so much, really, it means a lot. 
> 
> Please leave me kudos and comments if you can. Even a simple "wow" will make my day!


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